Driven by the tastes, expectations and usage patterns of an extremely young demographic, innovative business models and rapidly rising consumer adoption of pay and satellite television, the African marketplace is now worth half a billion dollars in annual TV content wholesale sales - double the figure from 2010 - says DISCOP Africa, home to where 95% of these sales are initiated and/or are concluded, and continental Africa's only international Film, TV content, adaptation rights and packaged channel market.
In its 9th edition, which kicks off today at the Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg, South Africa, DISCOP Africa is an annual, 3-day, tradeshow that brings together buyers, sellers and producers of televised entertainment content, seeking to do business across Africa.
Investors looking to fund projects and services in TV content delivery and management solutions are increasingly taking part in DISCOP Africa, and are equally interested in the wide range of challenges and opportunities brought forth by Africa's ongoing digital switchover.
This years edition of DISCOP Africa will take place from November 5th, to the 7th.
In addition to 250 individual exhibitors and national pavilions, the market will also include an agenda featuring:
- A special spotlight on Ivory Coast, DISCOP Africa's 2014 Guest Country, in a drive to highlight the fast-growing importance of Africa's French-speaking TV content production and distribution industries.
- The third edition of the DISCOPRO program a pitching, mentoring and market access forum helping independent producers carry their projects to full completion.
- 20 YEARS OF TELEVISION IN AFRICA: WHAT'S NEXT a two-day summit that will examine the challenges to develop a sustainable and homegrown digital television ecosystem that can also serve as a role model for the rest of the continent.
2000 exhibiting and non-exhibiting delegates from 70 countries are expected to attend, representing 1000 companies that drive television business and digital changes in Africa (including the largest contingent ever of producers and distributors of content created in Africa).
Last year, organizers of the event reported a significant 18% increase in attendance over the previous year's edition, as delegates representing 670 companies attended DISCOP Africa 2013, including more than 300 TV Stations and Pay-TV platforms present at the market to acquire content, while a conference agenda took place featuring a diverse mix of national and international speakers.
Distributors reported a host of significant deals, including a landmark agreement between DIFFA (International Distribution of Films and Fiction from Africa) with South Africa's M-Net, which will see the first ever Francophone series produced in Africa, Les rois de S gou (The Kings of S gou) from Mali's Brico Films, broadcasting on an English-speaking network.
The DISCOPRO conference agenda placed producers and co-production opportunities at the center of the discussion, with The Format People's Pitching Competition announcing winners across 3 categories. The Formats category was won by Kaye Ann Williams from Penguin Films for her project The Hook Up (South Africa); TV Series by Marie Lora-Mungai from Buni Media / Buni TV with her animated series Once Upon a Time in Africa (Kenya); and Documentary by Wairuri Njeru from Tattuah Films with her project Ex Generation (Kenya).
A Gala Dinner celebrated the market's Guest Country, which was Nigeria. Sponsored by Canal . The event saw stars from Nigeria's hugely successful entertainment industry honored, including actor, director and producer Zack Orji and renowned talk show hostess, media personality and producer Mo Abudu.
Further highlights included an opening address by South Africa's Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile, in which he stated, DISCOP Africa... takes place at a time when our continent is increasingly being viewed as the continent of hope, the continent of the future and a new growth frontier. We have no doubt, therefore, that emerging out of this gathering will be effective partnerships and programs aimed at accelerating the growth of film and TV production across the African Continent.
Patrick Jucaud-Zuchowicki, General Manager of Basic Lead, the company that organizes DISCOP Africa, added, The growth of Africa's content industry and its role in the international marketplace continues to accelerate and DISCOP Africa is now firmly established as the must-attend event in this region.
Well bring you coverage of the event as we receive it.
In the meantime, visit http://discopafrica.com/ for more info.
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
Driven by the tastes, expectations and usage patterns of an extremely young demographic, innovative business models and rapidly rising consumer adoption of pay and satellite television, the African marketplace is now worth half a billion dollars in annual TV content wholesale sales - double the figure from 2010 - says DISCOP Africa, home to where 95% of these sales are initiated and/or are concluded, and continental Africa's only international Film, TV content, adaptation rights and packaged channel market.
